


Fire And Ice

by DanjaBlue



Series: The Cube Chronicles [3]
Category: Star Trek: Picard
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Episode Related, S01E08 Broken Pieces, Science Fiction, Speculation, Spoilers, Suspense
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-14
Updated: 2020-04-17
Packaged: 2021-03-01 02:01:44
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 2,422
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23147404
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DanjaBlue/pseuds/DanjaBlue
Summary: Seven and Elnor aboard the cube.  R&R.
Relationships: Elnor & Seven of Nine
Series: The Cube Chronicles [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1663918
Comments: 4
Kudos: 26





	1. Chapter 1

"There is a freighter off our starboard bow," said Queen Seven. "It is carrying a crew of fifty.

"We will assimilate the freighter. We need to replenish our crew."

"How many drones did you lose when the Zhat Vash opened the airlocks?" Elnor asked

"We lost thirteen hundred and five drones in the attack," Queen Seven replied.

"Assimilating fifty people wouldn't seem to be nearly enough to replenish the losses," said Elnor. "It seems like such a waste."

"It must be done!" Queen Seven shouted. "We have to start _SOMEWHERE!"_

“What is the mission of this cube?” Elnor asked. “To feed your ego?’

“How _DARE_ you speak to me in such a manner!” Queen Seven roared. “You are in the presence of _ROYALTY!_ ” She then added, “There is a _PRICE_ to pay for your insolence!”

Elnor crossed his arms across his chest. “My life is forfeit,” he said. “Go on … Do it. Assimilate me.”

“We are the Borg,” intoned Queen Seven. “You will be assimilated. Resistance is Futile.”

Long moments passed. Nothing.

“What happens now?” Elnor asked. “Are your drones coming to do it?”

“For now, nothing,” said Queen Seven. “It seems you have a powerful ally. It is not Annika’s will that you be assimilated.”

* * *

_Annika stood across the room from a younger version of herself as a fully assimilated Borg drone._

_“You’re going to listen to_ HIM? _An_ OUTSIDER?” _Drone Seven cried. “He’s_ NOT _one_ _of us!”_

_“There is great wisdom to be had in soliciting the opinions of outsiders,” Annika replied. “He’s nowhere near as involved in cube operations as you and I. He possesses an objective viewpoint._

_“He speaks the truth. We lost over thirteen hundred drones in the Zhat Vash attack. Attacking a freighter carrying a crew of fifty isn’t even going to come_ CLOSE _to replenishing our numbers._

_“We would be expending a great deal of resources for little gain. It would be a waste. It would be inefficient.”_

_"If he wishes to fight with us, he must first_ BECOME _one_ _of us!" Drone Seven exclaimed. "He must be assimilated!"_

_"If we assimilate him, he loses the very thing that makes him valuable … his objectivity," said Annika. "We risk killing the proverbial goose that lays the golden egg."_

_"He is an individual," Drone Seven shot back. "He possesses One Voice … One Mind."_

_"He is far more valuable to me and the Collective as an individual than he'll ever be as a drone," said Annika._

_“We need to show this sector that the Borg are a threat!” Drone Seven shouted._

_“It seems you’ve just proven Elnor's assessment correct,” said Annika. “You_ ARE _doing this to bolster your ego._

_“If we attack freighters, Starfleet will come for us …_ AGAIN _._

_"We’re operating at only two-thirds our full complement. We do not have the luxury of sustaining more losses._

_“The Romulans are not going to stop until they’ve seized back what they regard as their precious cube. We must be prepared for_ THEM _.”_

* * *

"I don't know how to address you when you're in this … _state_ ," said Elnor. "I fear that you'll take offense to whatever I say."

The tubes on Seven's back popped off as she disconnected from the Queen platform. Her coal-black eyes became pale blue once more.

"Forgive me," said Elnor. "I didn't mean to interrupt."

"It's all right," said Seven. She pinched the root of her nose and said, "I needed a rest."

"I'm afraid," said Elnor. "What if she overpowers you?"

"Worry not about the Queen," said Seven. "You're under _MY_ protection.

"No matter what she says, she must ultimately answer to _ME_. Without me, she can do nothing.

"To answer your question, what would make you comfortable?"

"I don't know … 'Your Highness'?" Elnor asked.

"It would be inappropriate," Seven replied. "You're not one of my subjects." She then added, "Just call me Seven."

"I'm worried about offending _her_ ," said Elnor. "I don't want to be disrespectful."

"The fact that we're having this conversation says to me that you intend no disrespect," said Seven. She then added, "It seems we've become Captain and First Officer."

  
  



	2. Chapter 2

"I owe you my life," said Seven. She and Elnor were eating replicated dinners. Seven ate bauzang noodles with a mug of lager. 

"How so?" Elnor asked. Elnor ate fried fitzkol with a goblet of Romulan ale. 

"You were my anchor, my link to this ... _world_ ," Seven replied. "Had you not been standing in front of me in the chamber while I was Queen, she would've swallowed me completely."

"You're welcome," Elnor replied. He then added, “I want to apologize ... ” 

"For what?" Seven asked.

“I shouldn’t have made that remark about feeding your ego,” said Elnor. He then added, “I was afraid. I shouldn't have said that.”

“You were afraid and she possessed me,” said Seven. “Neither one of us was in complete control of our actions.

“You are hereby guilty of the crime of behaving like a normal person who’s just met a Borg Queen,” Seven said dryly. She then added, “I would be more concerned if you _WEREN’T_ afraid.

“You spoke the truth,” Seven continued. “The mere fact that a ship exists does not in and of itself justify its assimilation. We do what we do for a reason.”

“I just wish I could’ve been more diplomatic,” said Elnor.

“We need you,” said Seven as she placed a hand on Elnor’s shoulder.

“We?”

“The Queen and I,” Seven replied. “We need your voice, your truth … as painful as it may be."

“I still practice the Way of Absolute Candor,” said Elnor.

“I can’t imagine being Queen of the entire Collective … doing what she does twenty-four seven,” Seven said in between bites of noodles and sips of beer. “It took everything I had to be Queen of a cube for twenty minutes. 

“It takes a special kind of evil to dominate someone for thirty, forty, fifty years … however long a Queen lives."

“What about twenty years?” Elnor asked. _That’s how long you were in the Collective_ , he thought.

“That too,” Seven replied, choosing to miss the barb.

An alarm suddenly went off. Seven put down her noodles and beer, got up, and went to the Queen’s Platform. She called up a holographic display.

“What is it?” Elnor asked.

“Incoming transmission on a Royal frequency,” said Seven. “The Queen is coming to this cube … the Queen of the entire Collective.”


	3. Chapter 3

“I’m surprised the Queen granted me her power,” said Seven.

“I thought _YOU_ were the Queen,” countered Elnor.

“Only of this cube,” said Seven. “There _IS_ a Queen who is greater than me … she is Queen of the entire Collective.

“We haven’t always seen eye to eye in the past.”

“What did you do?” Elnor asked.

“A lot of things I’d rather not talk about,” Seven replied. _Little things,_ Seven thought wryly. _Killing a Queen. Helping Voyager destroy a transwarp hub which killed billions of drones in the process._  
  


“I’m afraid,” said Elnor.

“Of what?” Seven asked.

“Being assimilated,” said Elnor.

“No one is going to assimilate you,” said Seven. “I will not permit it.”

“Easy for you to say, but what about the Queen?” Elnor asked. “What if _SHE_ demands it?

“What is my place here? I don’t know if I belong here.”

“You’re my assistant,” said Seven.

“I’m not Borg,” said Elnor.

Seven touched her finger to her lips and said, “Perhaps there’s something we can do about that.”

“You just said you weren’t going to assimilate me!” Elnor exclaimed.

“I’m not,” Seven replied.

“I don’t understand …”

Seven went over to the replicator and gestured to Elnor to follow her.

“Computer,” Seven said to the replicator. “One eight fluid ounce glass beaker, one nanoprobe programming unit, and one hypospray unit.”

The beaker, programming unit, and hypospray appeared in the replicator. Seven took out the unit and hypospray and gave them to Elnor. She then took the beaker and walked over to a nearby table.

Elnor sat the programming unit and the hypospray down on the table. “What’s going on?”

Seven pulled one of her assimilation tubules out of her cybernetic hand. An inky black fluid issued out of the tubule and into the beaker.

“This is about as close as I hope you’ll ever come to being assimilated,” said Seven. She then took the programming unit, pointed it at the beaker, and keyed in some directions on the touchscreen.

“What are you doing?” Elnor asked.

“Something I learned on Voyager,” Seven replied. “I’m reprogramming my nanoprobes. I can deactivate their assimilation functions. This way, I’ll be able to help you without having to _ASSIMILATE_ you.”

Once finished, she set the programming unit down and took up the hypospray. She unscrewed the reservoir, poured the nanoprobes into the reservoir, and screwed it back onto the unit.

Seven got up and walked around behind Elnor.

“Are you sure this is going to work?” Elnor asked nervously.

“Yes, it will work,” Seven replied. “Hold still.” She injected the nanoprobes into the side of Elnor’s neck with the hypospray.

Long minutes passed. “I don’t feel any different,” said Elnor.

“That’s good,” Seven replied. “You weren’t supposed to.”

“What will this do?” Elnor asked.

“The other drones on this cube will recognize you as Borg. They won’t harm you,” Seven explained. “You already have nanoprobes in your system. There wouldn’t be any point in injecting you with more.

"It would be _inefficient_."


	4. Chapter 4

_"The nail that stands up gets hammered down" -- Japanese Proverb_

* * *

“I should've known I'd find you here,” said the Borg Queen as she and two hulking Borg attendants stepped out of the TranSat Portal.

“Welcome, Your Highness,” said Seven.

“ _Your Highness” …_ NOT _“My Queen,”_ the Borg Queen thought. _She doesn't mean a word of it._

“Who … is _THIS?_ ” the Borg Queen asked as she looked down her nose at Elnor.

“This is my assistant, Elnor,” said Seven as she made the introductions.

“He has nanoprobes within him, yet I find no _record_ of him,” said the Queen archly to Seven.

“It is sufficient for my purposes … for the _CUBE'S_ purposes,” Seven replied. “It has not been necessary to go any _further._ ” “Further” meaning “assimilation”.

“A minor issue,” said the Queen. “Shall we continue with the tour?”

* * *

Thousands of ex-Borg, each clad in black, stood at attention along the walls of the Cube as the Borg Queen, Seven, Elnor, and the Borg Queen's two attendants walked past, the Borg Queen reviewing her crew.

“You … _talk_ … to these drones,” said the Borg Queen.

“They know me. They know who I _AM_ ,” Seven replied.

“You've become quite the _celebrity_ within the Collective,” said the Queen.

“I was not aware of it, Your Highness,” said Seven. “I've been out of the Collective for a long time.”

“Your reputation precedes you, Seven of Nine,” said the Borg Queen. “You possess no small amount of ... _charisma_.”

_She's dressing me down_ , Seven thought. _She does not intend it as a compliment._

“What happened to the crew?” the Queen asked. “Why are they missing their implants?”

“The cube was attacked by the Romulans fifteen years ago,” Seven replied. “The cube tried to assimilate a ship called the _Shenour_.

“The mission failed.”

“I am familiar with that incident,” said The Queen. "It was most regrettable."

“The Romulans seized the cube and occupied it for fifteen years. The crew you see today is what I found when I came aboard.”

“Your 'assistant' … he is Romulan, is he not?” the Borg Queen asked, referring to Elnor.

“Yes, Your Highness,” said Seven. _I don't like the sound of this,_ she thought.

“Was he part of the occupational force?” the Borg Queen asked.

“No, Your Highness,” said Seven. “He's a friend of Locutus. He was his bodyguard.”

“ _Locutus_ … It has been _AGES_ since I have heard that name,” said The Borg Queen. “How does Locutus's bodyguard come to be _here?_ ”

“It's a long story,” said Seven. “I won't bore you with the details.”

“You and your crew are to be commended for driving the invaders out,” said the Borg Queen. She then stopped, turned around, and looked at Elnor, who was standing at Seven's side.

The Borg Queen cupped her hand around Elnor's chin and said, “He _WOULD_ make a _fine_ addition to the Collective.”

“He already has nanoprobes within him. There's nothing to be gained by injecting him further,” Seven protested as she sought to maintain her composure before the Queen. “His loyalty to me and to this crew is without question.”

The Queen let go of Elnor's chin. “This crew functions without being dominated?” she asked.

“Yes, Your Highness,” Seven replied. “Every member of this crew knows their duty and they perform it without question.

“After we seized the cube from the Romulans, I did not see the need to dominate them any further.”

“You've clearly learned something from your time on Voyager, Seven of Nine,” said the Queen. “It's … _irregular_ … but it appears to work.”

“We are a _community_ ,” said Seven. “This cube … is home. They will fight to the death to defend it.”

“Why did they not do that fifteen years ago?” the Queen asked archly. “The Borg might've still been able to hold onto her cube.”

“I cannot answer that, Your Highness,” said Seven. “I was not here at that time.”

“It was but a rhetorical question, Seven of Nine,” the Queen replied. “Shall we continue?”


	5. Chapter 5

“You've done well, Seven of Nine,” said the Borg Queen as she and her attendants stood before the TranSat Portal. “You've turned a crew that had been idle for fifteen years and turned it into a fighting force once again.

“One might well say you've performed a miracle.”

“Thank you, Your Highness,” said Seven.

“I will leave this cube in your more-than-capable hands,” said the Queen. She then turned to her attendants and said, “Let us go.”

After the Queen and her attendants had left, Seven of Nine let out a breath.

“Seven, are you all right?” Elnor asked.

“I'm fine,” Seven replied as she gasped for breath.

“You seem to be gasping for breath ...”

“Nerves,” Seven replied. “I'm glad she's gone.”

“Me too,” said Elnor.

“Helm to Seven of Nine,” said a voice over the holographic console.

Seven and Elnor walked over to the Queen's platform. Seven pressed a button on the console and replied, “Seven of Nine here.”

“You asked us to locate the _La Sirena_ ,” said the Helm officer over the console. “We've detected subspace telemetry signals from _La Sirena_ in the region of the planet Copellius.”

“Well done,” said Seven. “Initiate transwarp conduit. Set a course for Copellius.”

THE END


End file.
